Fanum Voltumnae: An Etruscan “Celestial Place” Near Orvieto

I’ve often termed our bellissima italia “that land of the endless discoveries.”

A recent early evening visit to an Etruscan find below Orvieto (of Etruscan origin, 9th-c. B.C.) confirmed this.

Spreading out on a volcanic tuff rock plateau, splendid Orvieto overlooks an astounding recent archaeological find: the ruins of perhaps the most vast Etruscan sanctuary (and meeting place of the Etruscan spiritual and political leaders) in central Italy spanning about 2300 years of history.

Archaeologists estimate that the sanctuary spread out over 40 hectares of land below medieval Orvieto, seeming to look out over all like a vigilant sentry:

The location of the site of this sanctuary, Fanum Voltumnae (“luogo celeste” – or “celestial place”) had been referred to in ancient texts and sought for centuries but discovery was quite recent, as we would learn.

On a recent summer night, three archaeologists presented the finds to a limited group of people – and we’d booked that visit, thanks to art-historian daughter-in-law, Francesca (from Orvieto).

After parking near a contemporary church below Orvieto, we purchased our tickets and followed others past a farmhouse in a field……..

-….to the ruins where archeologist Dottoressa Simonetta Stopponi gave us all an introductory presention of the site.

Etruscan terracotta decorative slabs had first been discovered in 1876 (now in a Berlin museum) in the market area below Orvieto called “Campo della Fiera” (“Field of the Trade Fairs”), that is, the area where saints’ feast-day fairs (fiere) and cattle markets were once held.

On this Etruscan sanctuary site, we would view the foundations of various ancient Etruscan temples (6th-B.C.) as well as the foundations of a Roman house, a medieval church and monastery with archaeologists giving exciting presentations on the finds.

A plaque near the start of our walk indicated the sites we’d view….

Labeled photos near the sites illustrated these Etruscan temple foundations:

Other photos near the excavation showed a few of the treasures found during excavation:

The site included also the area of a Roman domus (house) – of about the 4th – c.A.D. where an archeologist recounted its history, standing near remnants of the marble floor, mosaic floor nearby…..

…and here at the site of the domus, I met Nicola, archaeology student at the Universita’ di Foggia who was concluding weeks of work here at the excavation of Fanum Voltumnae:

I asked Nicola about this work in the excavations in the extreme recent heat..and he replied with a wide beam, “the excitement in the work overcame the heat.”

And especially because Nicola had found various medieval terracotta pitchers – (13th- 14th- c.?) when lowered on a harness into an ancient well on the Etruscan sanctuary site.

One found just dayr prior to our encounter was painted with the design of a mermaid:

One of many water pitchers lowered into the Pozzo delle Meraviglie (“Well of the Marvels”), the chain or rope on the handle had probably broken, the end for numerous pitchers: over 200 treasures had been found in the well.

Nicola had been lowered into the well where he found various pitchers:

Near the well, Professor Danilo Leone recounted to us the fascinating history of the pitchers…

The well had been sealed up at the time of the worst outbreak of the bubonic plague, 1348- 1349, as considered a source of contamination.

Near the well, a table displayed an array of the recent finds:

One squat pitcher bore the symbol of the crossbow and a taller pitcher behind it, a symbol of the alpha and omega (beginning and end) with the cross of Cbrist:

More than one pitcher bore the family coat-of-arms or another recognizable family symbol:

More than one medieval pitcher was graced with a symbol in fine relief:

After viewing the pitchers, Nicola introduced me to fellow archaeology student, beaming Martina, who had also worked on the excavation site of Fanum Voltumnae:

Students from Spain, other areas of italy – and even a young American woman – had united in the steamy excavation labors; all with enthusiasm, knowing they were revealing the wonders of one of the world’s most important Etruscan sanctuary sites.

Nicola’s recent note to me tells all:

**Hi Anne.

I can tell you that the experience I had in Orvieto at the Fanum Voltumnae certainly trained me a lot and was useful because it helped me understand even more that the work of an archaeologist is what I want to do in life because only this profession can generate such unique emotions.

Working at Fanum Voltumnae, being face to face with what you usually read in books, really melts your heart, gives satisfaction and makes you incredibly happy.

Being able to touch it with your hands puts an end to all imagination because you realize that everything is real.

It is an incredible joy to witness a discovery, especially when it is you yourself who makes it, just as it is a joy to clear an area, clean a wall with the trowel, use the pickaxe and shovel to remove the ground and discover that all that effort is repaid with a mosaic from the Roman era or even going down a well, not worrying about the dirt and the cold because you know that you will contribute to the discovery of something…… you will help to give voice to the past rich in history and of us because the past that we dig, it is US, inherent in every ceramic fragment, in every mosaic tile, in every stone block of a wall and even in every bone.

This life is simply extraordinary and to enclose all the emotions in a few lines would be impossible.
-Many greetings, a hug and who knows, I hope to see you again one day.
-Nicola.

Mille grazie, Nicola for having shared with me the wonders of this “celestial place.”

I, too, hope to see you again one day – and hear about your most recent projects – and discoveries.